Chapter 14: Chapter 14

I do my training routine in the morning before proceeding with breakfast at the town hall. We'll use the large house for the meetings and decisions on the settlement. 

Right now, the individuals in the room are: Tom as leader-Jerry as Chief of security-Arbin as King-Mia, Oliver and me as the randoms. Bonny and Anna will maybe join us later as they have other things to do. 

"Are all twenty members of your group trustworthy?" I asked Tom. 

"Yes, they're the only ones I trust, without a doubt." 

"Hey, what about us?" Oliver complained. 

"Yes," Arbin added. "Us too." 

"Do you want to stay here?" I interrupted, and they both nodded their heads in reply. "Then, Oliver, shut up, and Arbin, please be quiet. This will take a while. Maybe you want to play outside?" 

"I want to stay," Arbin whispered. 

"Okay. So I suggest mixing your members under the people in the jobs we'll create to understand the villagers' needs or to capture spies or traitors." I continued. 

Tom takes a notebook out and starts to write while Jerry asks me. "It's a good idea, but don't you think they will know?" 

"Did you tell them you're a part of the Partnership?"

"No." 

"Then, in time, even the ones who suspect you of being a 'bandit group' will forget, and the new arrival will only know the council we will establish." 

"That makes sense." Tom agreed. "I thought about your words yesterday, and I have the perfect candidate for our food situation. Tabea is one of our first refugees and lived in a village for a long time before moving to the city. She knows every plant of these lands and can teach others. I already asked her this morning, and she agreed." 

"Good. Only the healers are missing, and we're good to go. But for now, it is good enough. We have food for..." 

"...a month even if more people come, and in a few days, the caravan will arrive." Tom finished. 

"Hopefully. I propose we build more log houses big enough for a hundred-fifty people to live in. It'll take too long to make smaller ones for everybody." 

"We have rangers and craftsmen, but it'll take time to get the timber ready," Jerry warned. 

"I see, so today, you're going to gather the craftsmen, and they'll immediately start. How long will it take?" I asked. 

"Two, maybe three days so we can work without interruptions." Jerry estimated. 

"Then I'm going to recruit people for the food unit," Tom added. "you said something about a latrine. Do you know how to build it?" 

"Yes." A couple of hours later, we discussed all the little details. Then, Tom and Jerry went to complete their task, and Oliver, I don't know what the fuck he's doing, always picking his nose, but he left too. 

I'm about to leave with Arbin when Mia calls me, "Finn wait, do you have a moment?"

"For you, always." I smile at her. 

"My father trained you, so I wanted to ask if you, ähm, could teach me a little."

"Do you mean in fighting or Mana arts?" 

"Both? If it isn't too much trouble. I want to be able to fend for myself and never feel so powerless again."

Askei should be okay with that. I mean, what father doesn't want his daughter to feel safe? 

"I can try." 

"Really?" She exclaimed in excitement. "Just tell me when you have time." 

"Now?"

**********************************

In the meantime, somewhere in the southern sea

 

"I say we turn back," Jasper suggested. "It has been twelve years since we left home. Isn't it enough?" 

"Agreed. I'm sure they'll have mercy on us when we return now." Kaia added. "Please, Lady Elm. We did everything your family told us." 

"No," A deep voice thunders across the ship. "You were selected to serve her; only death awaits you at home. However, I won't wait to kill you if you return without Lady Elm's orders." 

"Eri! That's enough," Jain's voice is calm but filled with authority, shutting everybody up. "Are you speaking for the crew?" 

"Yes, my Lady." 

"I understand," She responded. "I'll discuss it with my Guardian." 

Lady Jain Elm stands up from the seat at the table with the feast nobody touched and leaves with Eri following three steps behind. They walk from the ship's rear to the other side and then the stairs up to her private chambers. 

Once inside, she released a deep breath, "Do you think this will be a problem?" 

"Lady Elm, it already is," Eri replied calmly. "You can only see this as their last opportunity to get what they want peacefully." 

"You mean they will try... to kill me?" She asked in a troubled voice. 

"Will try?" He laughs. "I would say it's good you didn't eat the food they were serving." 

"It's not funny. Stop laughing." She pouted. "What will you do? They're over a hundred crew mates." 

"Only a hundred?" A bloodthirsty grin spreads across his face. "Even if there were a thousand, they could not even look at you if I didn't allow it." 

-------------------------

It's days later that the weather got bad. Jain is standing by the railing, observing with a somber expression the huge waves crashing against the enormous ship's wall. 

Unbeknownst to her, a man is watching her from afar. This man is Jasper, and he continued watching when the colossal protector approached her.  

"Lady Elm, the storm will soon begin. Please come inside." He reminded her. 

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But she ignored him, "Do you think father stole the key?"

Although far away, Jasper could still hear them and listened intently. He waited for twelve long years, and finally, they mentioned it. But he can't understand why she's asking her servant dog about something this important. 

"Is this key more important than me, than his family?" Tears start rolling down her face. 

"I..." Eri's face is complicated. He knows how much she's loved by her father, but at the same time also knows how important the Realm key is.

"Jain Tzu Elm." Her expression changed immediately. 

"How do you know this name?" She gasped. 

"Come with me, Lady Elm." He calmly replied. 

While they turned around to return to their chambers, Eri looked straight at the man hiding behind another railing. Their eyes meet, and Jasper feels terror for the first time in decades, so the instant the bloodthirst is directed at him, he dashes away as fast as possible. 

-----------------------------

The moment the door is closed, she questions him, "Who are you? Where did you hear that name?" 

Eri ignored her question and looked at her for a second, "You look so much like your father. And no, he didn't steal the key. It's your family's by right." 

"What do you mean?"

Once again, he ignored her, "Your father told me to never tell you, except when I feel things could go wrong, so I'm telling you now. He wanted to de-escalate the war between the families; if he failed, he planned to smuggle the key away. It's been twelve years, and we're lost on the sea with a revolting crew and no word from him. That means you need to find the key if we get separated." 

 "What-But why..." 

'bang' 

The whole ship jerks, and the wood screams. Jain and Eri flew through the room, hitting the wall. 

On the outside, the storm is reaching a crescendo, and if you look closely over the railing, you can see gigantic tentacles snaking up the ship. 

The crew is running the deck up and down, trying to scoop out the water from the lower deck. 

"Faster!"

"More buckets!"

"I need help in the rear!" You hear them shout. 

That changed when one of the tentacles reached for a woman carrying full buckets of water. One second she was there; the next, you hear her screams disappear in the distance. 

For a moment, silence...

"MONSTER. TAKE COVER."

Everything is dropped to the ground, and they flee for their lives. 

Eri sauntered out of the room and was greeted by chaos. Eight tentacles are swinging around, grabbing the people and dragging them away. 

"Stay here." He said into the room. 

Black Lightning is dancing around him, and the next second he appears at the side of a tentacle. He lifts his right arm and slashes down, cutting it in two in the blink of an eye. 

He turns around to look for his next target when another slams him into a wall. Followed by another one. He doesn't get the chance to get up as continuously the tentacles smash into him. 

Out of her chambers, Jain is observing how the whole crew stopped running, but no one helps him. She wanted to run and help him but stopped herself, remembering his words. 

She hears a loud scream and feels intense pressure, bringing everybody down to their knees. The next moment, black lines zipped back and forth, cutting the tenacles. 

The fight continued for half an hour, but the monster wasn't killed. In the end, it only retreated with one less tentacle. 

In comparison, Eri doesn't look like he won. Instead, he and his surroundings are covered in blue blood. Both arms are broken, and he's breathing heavily.  

Jain sees him turn in his direction, and a smile is visible on his face. 
He steps toward her. 

'thud'

Confused, he looks down and sees a blade peaking out his chest. 
He turns to look at the man who did it. 

'thud'
'thud'
'thud'

One by one, the crew stabs him, and in the end, 69 swords are buried in his body. 

Everything is getting blurred, but he sees a silhouette stepping toward him. "We could have gone home together." He recognized the voice of Kaia. 

"Ha-ha-ha-ha. You don't have a home anymore." Blood is dripping down from his mouth, and with his last strength, he grabs her face and activates his power.  

Jain is watching on her knees, screaming and crying while being held by two men. The smell of Kaia's burned face reached even her. 

Jason comes into her view, and a fist hits her in the face, knocking her out. 

-------------------------------

Darkness. I don't remember why, but I want to escape the dark. I feel my body sway for days or even weeks. These damned traitors, or am I the betrayer? 

I continue drifting through the sea where I'll die, eaten by fish, picked to death by the birds, or drown. Of course, I don't prefer any of these, but I won't have a choice. 

All I can do is hold o to the piece of wood, hoping for a miracle. 

Time passed, but there was no change until I felt a soft ground beneath me. My heart skipped a beat, and for a second, I got excited. 

But that changed fast, then the waves crashed into me repeatedly. I roll left and right, trying to crawl away from the waves and take a grip on something other than sand. 

Finally, I hear the water more distant, and no more waves slam into me.
I lay on the beach, catching my breath, and laughing. A few moments later, I get on my knees and touch my throat carefully. I lead my finger cautiously around my neck along the scar. 

Then I hear the sounds of the gnashing sand; something is approaching.

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